Chapter Nine

Shadow's POV

Shadow stared at his sister, not sure as to believe her or not. He could hear Firepaw let out a painful grunt behind him; Shadow knew that she needed help sooner than later. Pine narrowed her eyes at Cinder.

"Why should we trust you?" the russet-furred she-cat demanded. "We all see what you did to her." Her tail pointed over to Firepaw, who was breathing heavily.

Cinder rolled her eyes. "Did I really have a choice?" she argued. "Hawk wasn't going to let anyone go without attacking her. She came here knowing the consequences I'm sure."

"So you blind me instead of killing me?" Firepaw rasped.

"Blind you?" Cinder gave a surprised look. "Who said I blinded you?"

Firepaw growled. "Oh I don't know, my eyes maybe?"

Cinder walked over and pushed Firepaw's head down with her paw. Shadow watched as Cinder leaned down to mutter something to her, before turning back to face him. What was that about just now? Shadow opened his mouth to ask, but was cut off by Cinder heading back towards the den's entrance.

"Tonight when everyone is sleeping, I want you three to meet me near the training clearing," she told them. "If you want to escape, this will be your one and only chance."

Pine flattened her ears. "And if you're planning to ambush us?"

Cinder met her gaze levelly. "If you're that worried, you can ask Leaf."

Shadow stepped forward. "But why are you helping us? What do you gain?"

"What do I gain?" Cinder closed her eyes with a slight smirk. She turned away from them. "You'll see that for yourself, brother."

Shadow watched his sister leave the den, unease prickling along his spine. Pine started to follow her out. She gazed back at him, before disappearing outside. Shadow looked down at his paws with a sigh. This is all such a huge mess, he frowned. What has become of my family? Were they really always like this? Shadow tried to remember what everything had been like before his accident, but his head began to ache with the effort.

"Shadow," Firepaw's weak mutter called out to him.

Shadow quickly was at her side. "Firepaw, what is it? Are you okay?"

Firepaw lifted her head tiredly, her eyes tightly shut and swollen. "I'm going to try and rest before we leave. I don't want to hold anyone up."

Shadow frowned, touching his nose to her ear. "Rest then," he told her. "I'll be right here."

Letting out a tiny sigh, Firepaw seemed to slowly drift off to sleep. Watching her flanks unsteadily rise and fall in her sleep, Shadow knew more than ever that she needed to see a medicine cat. Laying beside her, Shadow rested his head on his paws; staring at the entrance to the den. His father had made his mother give up her den for their prisoner, and she was now temporarily staying in the den with the others. Dozing off, Shadow was jolted awake by shuffling just outside the den.

"Hello?" he called out, quiet so not to alert Firepaw.

"Oh, Shadow, there you are," came the relieved mew of his mother.

Lily quietly crept into the den, her eyes wide as she gazed at Firepaw. "How awful..." she gasped. "Cinder did this?"

Shadow looked away, not wanting to see the hurt in his mother's eyes. "...Yes."

"This...this is all my fault, isn't it...?" Lily murmured, seeming to be talking more to herself than Shadow.

"Why would it be your fault?" Shadow asked, meeting his mother's sad gaze.

Lily looked down, shoulders hunched in defeat. "I allowed your father to do whatever he wanted without challenge for far too long," she admitted. "Now it has turned one of my kits down the wrong path, and driven the other far away."

She must have figured out that I'm leaving, Shadow guessed. He carefully got up and pressed his muzzle into Lily's fur. "None of this is your fault," he told her. "My father has made his own choices. There wasn't much you could've done."

"Shadow," Lily spoke now, her voice more steady. "I know of your plan to leave tonight with Pine, and your friend from the Clans."

Shadow looked away. "I'm sorry, mother," he began. "I can't live like this. I-"

Lily gently hushed him. "I don't need an explanation," she meowed softly. "Your friend needs help, and Pine will be much safer with the Clans. My only regret is that I won't be able to see your grow into the cat you're destined to be."

"Mother," Shadow frowned. "This isn't goodbye for forever. We'll see each other again, won't we?"

The slender tortoiseshell turned her gaze away. "Shadow, there is something you must know."

Shadow tilted his head. Why did his mother seem so distant all of the sudden? "What do you mean?"

"Before your accident, you learned something that not even Cinder was aware of. I had thought maybe you would have still remembered, but it doesn't seem to be the case," Lily sighed. She turned her gaze on him. "Hawk and I are not your real parents."